OLED vs. LCD : Who’s the Winner?

The year 2012 heralded the arrival of the OLED technology as LG and Samsung the two electronic giants from South Korea presented their huge 55 inch OLED TVs. The two television sets clearly stole the 2012 CES show held at Las Vegas in January as people held their breath to watch the picture perfect true to life images on large screen TVs. Now, for newbie, here is a small comparison between OLED vs. LCD, which will let you decide which is going to be your next TV technology.

What is OLED?

OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode and is made up of thin films of organic carbon based compounds which glow when electricity is passed through them. OLED TVs are the new flavor of the month and the intelligent marketing from the launchers of OLED TV has generated quite an interest among the viewers. Learn How OLed’s work.

OLED vs. LCD

A comparison of OLED vs. LCD shows that OLED has a clear edge over the LCD. OLED emits its own light and is far brighter than an LCD also unlike the LCD it does not need an external source in the form of LED backlights. The absence of LED backlights makes it thinner and more compact than the LCD devices. It is also weighs less and is more flexible as compared to the LCD. LCD Also because of its flexibility the OLED can be fabricated on plastic sheets. In fact there is a strong possibility that in future there may be roll up OLED displays. It is also easier to construct a larger screen with the OLED technology.

Viewing Angle

Poor viewing angle has always been the downside of the LCD TVs as only the viewer sitting directly opposite the TV can see a perfect picture. Those not directly opposite get a somewhat “off” picture as the colors and picture quality are compromised. On the other hand with a viewing angle of 170 degrees the OLED TV can be viewed from any angle as the picture and colors remain uniform.

The Contrast Levels

The deep black level and the contrast of the OLED TV are far more superior than an LCD. The maximum contrast ratio of an LCD TV is 10,000:1 while the new OLED launched by Sony has a whooping contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. The OLED TVs produce deep rich blacks because they do not require any external lighting and use less power to produce the black levels. Black levels had always been unsatisfactory on the LCD TVs and they also consume more power when generating black. Although there has been a marked improvement in the black levels of the latest LCD display but the inconsistency persists in off axis viewing.

Colors

The OLED TV boasts of a richer, more accurate, brighter and more realistic color palette. Although the color accuracy of the LCD TVs is also excellent but colors on OLED are more natural. This is because of the difference in the two technologies; each pixel in the OLED TV gives of light in three colors re, green, and blue and is capable of accurately reproducing every color under the sun. In the LCD TV colors are produced by manipulating the light waves and although the colors are quite impressive but are no match to the spectacular range of the OLED.

Refresh Rate/Response Time

Another area where the LCD TV is squarely beaten by the OLED TV is the refresh rate and the response time. OLED TV exhibits exceptional refresh rates and response time with the response time being a mere 0.01 milliseconds as compared to the 8 to 12 millisecond response time of the LCD. The refresh rate is also super quick and the end result is a smooth picture without any lag or blur which makes sports viewing, action movies and video games a treat for eyes.

Power Efficiency

As the OLED TV produces its own light, it is more power efficient; in fact the OLED displays at present have the lowest power consumption. The LCD requires backlights making it consume power however its consumption is less than that of the plasma TVs.

Burn-In and Longevity

This is where the romance with OLED Vs. LCD TVs ends. Although nothing can be said for sure as the OLED technology is relatively new but there are chances that the OLED will suffer from burn-in and longevity issues. The tried and tested LCD TVs have no problems regarding the two areas and emerge as clear winners.

Price

Price is another issue of the OLED TVs, being new they are quite pricey but hopefully with technological advancements budget friendly OLED TVs will appear in the markets.

Here is a video which shows display difference between OLED vs. LCD :

So, which is going to be your next TV? OLED or LCD display TV?

This is a guest post by Dananjika from Best LED LCD TV review. If you would like to do a guest post at CallingAllGeeks, check our guest posting guidelines.